How deep should I bury bamboo to support cucumbers and tomatoes?
Ariel (Zone: 7b)
4 years ago
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lilyd74 (5b sw MI)
4 years agoAriel (Zone: 7b)
4 years agoRelated Discussions
How Deep Should Bulbs Be Planted ?
Comments (31)Frank, quite honestly, I think the best answers will come from some of Al's writings. He should have a thread floating around the Container Gardening Forum about fertilizing, and I know he recommends Foliage Pro, which has all the essential nutrients and micro-nutrients plants need. I remember he once wrote a piece about the specialized fertilizers and bloom boosters, revealing that even the manufacturers know many of the hyped products are just gimmicks. I think the quote was something like... and I'm paraphrasing, here... "it's easier to give the public what they think they need than it is to reeducate them." Personally, I water with a diluted solution of fertilizer all year round... the reason being, the more inorganic mediums we use don't contain or hold onto much nutrition. Therefore, I offer a buffet-like environment to my plants, ensuring a constant supply of food in a low dose, and they take what they need. Because I'm flushing them every time through thorough watering, and watering more often than I would be if I used a peat based medium, what's in the pot is constantly exchanging... out with the old, in with the new. Over winter, I water with the weakened fertilizer water 3 out of 4 times... on the 4th watering, I flush with clear water. I mix it at about 1/4 strength. I keep resting bulbs a little drier than ones in full growth mode, too. But when I see new growth, I go back to the regular "schedule"... and I put schedule in quotes because the only schedule is giving my plants what they need, when they need it. There is no actual schedule, like watering once a week whether they need it or not, or something... that's how my Mom used to water her houseplants, and she killed more plants than anyone I know! I don't know if this helps you, Frank... but I would absolutely go take a peek at what Al recommends....See MoreAdvice for burying tomato containers and maintaining wicking?
Comments (13)Thanks guys for all the input, it is really helpful. Silvia - I know it is just a community garden, but I enjoy making it look nice and it is something I willing to spend a little money on so I am planning to do a trellis along the back for staking. Silvia and Tom - I am intrigued by the paper bag idea you and Tom suggested. I have fairly unlimited access partially composted (I wouldn't call it completely composted) horse manure supplied by the park district. I added almost 30 wheelbarrows full to my first plot and didn't get any burn symptoms. Could I use some of this in the bags or would it have to be exclusively the normal mix of peat, perlite, fines etc? I am assuming that if I use plastic containers, I should stick to strictly the potting mix. Would there be any advantage to using containers vs. bags since I have the containers already? Also, Tom I tried to investigate as much as I could about your double bucket system before posting this. You use a reverse reservoir right with the outer bucket completely intact? How could I use a more simple set up? If I do sink the containers I should line underneath with newspaper right. I don't think there is any restrictions on containers, several people have earth boxes and other large containers on their plots. The whole thing seems pretty laissez-faire. I do visit the plot almost every day. I work as a tutor and am often driving through in addition to having a lot of extra flexible time during the day. I have been watering everyday for the past couple of weeks. However, this has mainly been to nurse the lettuce through the heat. Everything else can currently go 2 days or more (I think because of the added manure, peat, and perlite). In the past, I have only had to water the containerized super sweet 100s when they got over 5/6 feet. But, in either case, I plan to be out there pretty frequently. Amberroses - I have some of the cherries purchases already but am definitely looking into resistant varieties for the rest. Someone at the garden today suggested Beefmaster, Better Boy, Ofri?, and Charger. I think there was one other one, but I can't remember. He said these transplants are available at the earthbox store in Ellenton. I am including some before and after pics of my first plot started late January, partially so you can get an idea of the size and partially because I am just still so excited about it:) Once amended, the soil line is now about 2-3" above the sides....See Morebamboo support
Comments (12)I tied up two of the A-frames (for the ends) and attached the cross piece to those and got them buried to a depth I liked. (It takes two people to do it this way....the structure isn't stable until some of the remaining A-frames are attached.) I then tied up the remaining A-frames and installed them along the length of the structure, pushing them into the ground so they just touched the top cross piece. I used stout twine to bind the tips together, and zip ties to attach the top piece to the A-frames. Once it's all assembled it's very stable so long as all the bindings are tight. I planted one tomato at the base of each bamboo pole, on the inside. Don't know if it would make any difference where you plant relative to the pole, but I assumed it would be easier to train them this way. It worked fine. The plants become so bushy that I doubt if it matters much where you plant relative to the support poles. No noticeable problems from shading or crowding, although like I mentioned it became a thicket. Tying or pruning errant branches was necessary to get it trained, but I pretty much let it go its own way after the plants reached the top....See MoreMechanism by which tomatoes root on buried stems.
Comments (5)Thanks seysonn, but I was really looking for some science, that I could understand, as to how the roots are formed and which cells/structures on the stems have the potential to form roots. The ability of many plants to root from stems is well known and exploited by gardeners. I use it myself when I plant Brassicas deeper when transplanting. Carolyn's info about the root primordia was what I was after. I was trying to find out whether it was indeed the trichomes (hairs) which became roots and it seems that it is not. The growth of adventitious roots appears to be caused by a flow of auxins towards preformed root initials (primordia) in a response to excess moisture and is a defence against oxygen deprivation in flood conditions. At least I think that's it, if I have understood it. Here is a link that might be useful: Tomato stem rooting...See MoreKris
4 years agoAriel (Zone: 7b)
4 years agoAriel (Zone: 7b)
4 years agogorbelly
4 years agoAriel (Zone: 7b)
4 years agogorbelly
4 years agoAriel (Zone: 7b)
4 years agogorbelly
4 years agoJohn D Zn6a PIT Pa
4 years agogorbelly
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agobeesneeds
4 years ago
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lilyd74 (5b sw MI)